[alloysteel]

The generally accepted rule here in America is, that if you declare yourself to be part of some racial or ethnic group, then you belong to that group. You don't even need to provide the most tenuous connection. If you say you are Irish, you are Irish, even if your name in Chang Mei-Ling or Adnan Korsian. Even with as little as one-64th Cherokee descent, you have people claiming to be "Cherokee", or you can simply claim a name like "Luke Warmwater", sit around in front of a tepee, and wear a headband of feathers with a Pendleton blanket draped over your shoulders.

Americans are a pretty mongrel bunch. Trevor COULD have some African anscestry, or be descended from someone who once lived in Africa.

[cyborg]

I agree. If they based it upon ethnicity then he's more African-American than a lot of people who refer to themselves as such. His family grew up in South Africa and he spent his early years there.

[Dead Corpse]

There is the rub. Trevor was BORN in AFRICA.

This makes him an African. He moved to the US with his parents and is now a US Citizen. That makes him an African-American.

He just isn't BLACK. They don't want us thinking about RACE. Just the image of an oppressed people. Even if they haven't been oppressed by anyone or any institution still opperable in the US. It isn't about equalizing the scales anymore, it is about turning the tables and making their racism work for them.

Affirmative Action? Call it by what it really is. Affirmative Racism.

[reg45]

... or be descended from someone who once lived in Africa.

Like the entire human race!

[Salgak]

Ahem. In SOME Nations we define membership via unbroken line of male descent.

Therefore, by the laws of the Iriquois Nation I'm full-blooded Iriquois. Ever though I'm as generic-white-bread-anglo as it gets.

And since the Nation recognizes me, the Feds think so too.

Not that I've ever used it, but I could. . .

[sweetliberty]

"Trevor COULD have some African anscestry, or be descended from someone who once lived in Africa."

Did you read the article? Trevor IS African, born and raised. His family immigrated to America, so in reality, he is the ONLY one of his classmates who can genuinely claim to be African-American. The fly in the PC ointment is that his skin happens to be white.